Thermoelectric indicator



June 16, 1925. 1,542,096

R. N. RIBLET THERMQELECTRIC INDICATOR Filed April 27. 1920 ZFWLI/W/ 36 VEV/IYE (III. IIIIII F l IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHI (9 r i 141m" 0;

' Poya/lyPi/j /ezf Patented June 16, 1925.'--

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'ROYAL N. RIZBLE'I, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T0WESTON a.

. HOBBS, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

THERMOELF ICTRIC INDICATOR.

Application filed April 27, 1920. Serial No. 376,993.

To all whom z't' may concern:

Be it known that I, ROYAL N. RIBLET, a citizen of the United States,residing at Spokane, in Spokane County, and State of Washington, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in ThermoelectricIndicators, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in thermo-electricindicators embodied in conjunction with the electric circuit of theignition system of the internal combustion engine used as a motor onautomobiles, whereby different degrees or conditions of temperature ofthe cylinder of the engine, may be indicated to the driver of theautomobile, by the-utilization of visible signs, here conveniently shownas different colored lights, preferably located on the dash-board of theautomobile, in posltlon where they may be readily seen by the driver ofthe automobile.

The invention also contemplates thermal means whereby the electriccircuit bf the ignition system is automatically broken by actuation ofthe thermo-electric device, due to excessive heating of the cylinder,thus shutting OK the ower of the motor it the visible danger signal ofthe indicator is ignored.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel combinations andarrangement of parts in connection with'the engine cylinder as will behereinafter pointed out and claimed. I

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodimentmf my inventionv'vherein the parts are combinedand arranged according to the best mode it have so far devised for thepractical application of the principles of my invention.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connectionsbetween the signal lamps and the distributor or timer of the engine,involving the thermally operated electric switch mechanism utilized inthe invention.

Fig. 2 is a View partly in section showing the thermoelectric switchmechanism and operative connection. I

Fig. 3 is a detail view oi the electric switch members, includinga'traveling contact wheel and the track or contact plates over whichthewheel passes.

In the preferred form of my invention,

as illustrated in the drawings, I employ. three electric circuits forthree signals, and

these three circuits are connected with the distributor or timer of theignition system of the internal combustion engine, the latter beingdesignated by'the numeral 1 in Fig. 1. A sign plate 2 ofany'suitabl-ematerial is attached to a suitable support, as for instancethe dash board (not shown) of the automobile, and upon this sign plate2-aresupported three lamps, indicated by the numerals 3, 4: and 5. Thelamp 3, which may be an electric bulb, is preferably colored red, thelamp is blue, and/the lamp 5 may be green, to indicate respectively adangerous heated condition of the cylinder, a'condition requiringcaution, and a normal heated condition of the cylinder.

- Within the electric circuit of the ignition system ofthe cylinders ofthe engine are included the wire 6, the battery 7, branch wire 7 and thewire 8 leading to the distributor or timer 1 of the ignition system.

Following the wiring in Fig. 1 from the distributor 1 extends aconnection 9, and by means of the two wires 10 and 1.1, and theemergency switch 12, the circuit is complete between the engine and thebattery 7, by way of the wire 6. Normally the switch 12 is open, and itis only closed in case of an emergency, or when the electric signals arenot being used.

lln Fig. 1, the ignition circuit as used in connection with the electricsignals is completed from wire 6 through wire 13, and from wire 9through wire 14, by way of the thermoelectric device indicated as awhole by the numeral 15. Thus it will be apparent that the electriccircuit thus described for the ignition system of the automobile engineis always and continuously closed for the performance of its functions.

The thermoelectric actuating device 15 is supported upon the engine, asfor instance the cylinder head indicated at C in Fig. 2., by means of aplate 16, bolts 17 being emloyed to itasten'the plate to the cylinderead. A housing 18, preferably of metal and of suitable shape and size,is employed to encase the operating parts of the thermo,

lid

lid

this manner, after the device and electric switch. The thermal devicecomprises a pair of expansible vessels or diaphragms 19 and 20 supportedupon the plate'l6, within the housing, and these vessels of thin sheetmetal contain a suitable liquid, as water, and it will readily beunderstood that the diaphragms are expansible due to the heating of thewater therein, caused by radiation of heat from the engine of theautomobile.

The upper diaphragm 20 is provided with a central recess or depression20 for the reception of the free end of a link 21, which is pivoted at21 to a horizontally disposed lever 22 that is pivoted at 23 in thehousing. The long arm 24 of the lever 22 carries a contact arm 25 inwhich is journaled the rolling contact member or wheel 26, and a spring27 connects one end of the contact arm 25 with the long arm 24 of thelever 22, the arm 25 being pivoted at 28 on the extreme end of the lever22.

In connection with the rolling contact -member 26, I employ a pair ofcontact plates 29 and 30. in parallelism, struck from the pivot 23 ofthe lever 22 as a center, and located in position to form a track forthe rolling contact member 26. Preferably, the adjacent edges of theplates 29 and 30 are beveled at 31, and the Wheel 26 is provided withbeveled edges 32 complementary to the beveled edges 31, in order thatthe wheel may be guided in its travels. The contact plates of theelectric switch are supported by the bracket 33 attached to the housingand to the plate 16, and is arranged in upright position, as indicated.In Fig. 3 it will be seen that plate 29 is provided with a contactportion 34 and that plate 30 [has a contact portion 35, while plate 29has a second contact ortion 36, the three portions or contact e ementsbeing arranged so that the elements 35 overlaps or extends beyond thenear ends of the elements 34 and 36. Thus it will be understood that therolling contact member 26 may be simultaneously in contact with elements34 and 35 to illuminate the green and the blue lamps 5 and 4 jointly, orthe blue lamp and the red lamp may be illuminated jointly, ue to theposition of the rolling contact member. The two plates 29 and 30 areprovided with non-conducting, or insulated portions 37, and at theextreme upper ends of these plates are provided two non-conducting parts38 and 38. When the rolling contact member reaches these non-conductors38 and 38, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the circuit isbroken, and not only is the signal circuit broken, but the ignitioncircuit also is broken. In rolling contact member has reached theposition to illuminc These plates are arranged and are fashioned on acurve.

the red lamp as a danger signal, it this signal is not heededby thedriver of the automobile, a further rise in the temperature of theheated cylinder will cause the rolling contact member to break theignition circuit.

In its mechanical operation it will be evident that due to expansionunder heated conditions, the diaphragms will .swing the lever 22,through the link- 21, on the pivot 23, and the rolling contact member orwheel 26, which is resiliently held in contact with the curved plates29, 30 of the electric switch, will travel over its predeterminet trackfor performing its required function in illuminating the several lamps.

Referring to Figure 1 the ,diagram may be followed to indicate thecircuits of the electric lamps of colored signals. Starting at battery 7the circuit is through wires 6 and 13, thence through lever 22 androller 26 to contact 34 of the thermoelectric device 15, from contact 34wire 40 leads to the green lamp 5 and by wires 41, 41 and 7 back to thebatter The wire 43 extends from contact plate 35 to blue lamp 4 and fromwhich wire 43' connects with wire 41 thence to battery 7 completing thecircuit for blue lamp 4. From contact plate 36 wire 45 leads to red lamp3and by wires 45 and 41 the circuit is completed to the battery. In thismanner the three lamp circuits may be completed by the traveling orrolling contact member, and it will be apparent that when the normalheated condition exists inthe cylinder head of the engine, the rollingcontact member will remain at the lower end of the curved contactplates, and. the green lamp 5 will be illuminated. If the heat developssufli ciently to move or expand the thermal device, the contact wheel iscaused to travel along its path,.and may reach the position in Figure 1,showing {the wheel 26 in contact with plate 35, causing illumination ofthe lamp 4. It will be apparent. that as the heat increases, and thethermal device continues to expand, the wheel will be caused to travelupwardly on its track to successively illuminate the lamp 3, and tofinally break the adjacent circuit when the wheel reaches thenon-conducting elements 38 and 38.

The ignition circuit as indicated in Figure 1, starts from battery 7through wires 7' and 8 to distributor or timer 1, thence by wires 9, 14and 39 to one or the other of branch wires 39, 42 and 44 connecting tocontact plates 34, 35 and 36 respectively, and by roller 26, lever 22and wires 13 and 6 back to the battery 7. From this it will be apparentthat battery 7 will energize distributor 1 as long as contact wheel 26remains on either of the contact plates 34, 35 and 36, but should thecontact wheel pass the plate 36 and reach non-conductive contacts 38 and38 by reason of excessive overheatmg of the engine it will be seen theignition It will. thus be apparent, that the electric signals mustnecessarily be operated if the ignition system is operating, and v ifthe excessively heated to a danengine becomes gerous degree, the circuitof the ignition system is automatically broken, and can be closed eitherby a reduction in the temperature of the engine, which permits adownward movement of the rolling contact member to again establish theelectric circuits, or in case of emergency and when thesignals are notto be used, the switch 12 may be closed to establish the emergencyelectric circuit of the ignition systenn Having thus fully described myinvention, what claim is A combined temperature signal system andignition cut-ofi for internal combustion engines comprising incombination, a plurality of distinctive electric signals, separatecircuits for said signals, a control device for said circuits comprisinga plurality of insulated overlapping conducting segments and aninsulating segment at the termination of the conducting segments, eachconducting segment being included in one of said circuits respectively,a cooperating contact device engageable progressively with saidconducting segments and included in each said circuits, means exposed tothe engine temperature for controlling the position of the contactdevice and thereby selectively energize said signals, an ignitionvcircuit 'for the engine, said ignition circuit including therein thecontact device in series and the conducting segments in parallel wherebythe ignition circuit will be maintained when the contact device is inengagement with any one of the conducting seg ments and will be brokenwhen the contact device engages the insulating'segment' In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature.

ROYAL N. RIBLET.

